Google Chrome will remove the secure indicator from HTTPS sites

Google today announced its next steps for how Chrome marks HTTP and HTTPS sites. Starting in September 2018, Chrome will stop marking HTTPS sites as "Secure" in its address bar. And then in October 2018, Chrome will start displaying a red "Not secure" label when users enter data into HTTP pages.

Google began earlier last year by first applying that label to HTTP sites in Incognito given the increased expectation of user privacy in that mode. The next step sees that warning applied browser-wide when users first visit an HTTP page.

HTTPS is a more secure version of HTTP, acting as a secure communication protocol for users and websites, making it harder for eavesdroppers to snoop on your packets. Your data is kept secure from third parties, so most modern sites are employing this technology, using Transport Layer Security (TLS) the underlying tech behind HTTPS, to do this.

Google explains the change with: "users should expect that the web is safe by default." However, well-presented information allows users to be informed and can be accomplished through minimalism instead of outright removal.